First Tears
by Elise Marie
Summary: Ron and Hermione enter the Great Hall where the Weasleys are gathered around Fred during Chapter 33 of "Deathly Hallows". Spoilers for the book up until then. This is 9th in the "First" series. Possible tissue alert!


**Title: **First Tears

**Book: **Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33: The Prince's Tale.

**Spoilers: **Up to and including page 531 of Deathly Hallows.

**Warnings: **Canon Character Death.

**Rating: **T/PG-13. Canon Character Death.

**Category: **Ron/Hermione hurt/comfort and friendship.

**Summary: **Ron and Hermione enter the Great Hall where the Weasleys are gathered around Fred.

**Disclaimer: All characters and the universe they exist in belong to J.K Rowling and her publishers. This piece of fan-fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was exchanged. No copyright infringement was intended and the original characters, situations and plots are property of the author. This piece of fan-fiction must not be archived without the author's consent.**

**Author's Notes: **This came to me on a very long coach trip and was never part of the intended "First" series. This is 9th in the "First" series, but can be read as a standalone piece. Also, I see it as Ron and Hermione romance, but technically it can be read as friendship. Fic picks up on page 531: _Without a word to Harry, Ron and Hermione walked away._ We all know what then happened with Harry, but what about the Weasleys?

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Ron and Hermione approached the band of red hair standing just a short distance away. They glanced at each other and in that instant knew what the other was thinking. Ron looked down at his mother who was lying on Fred's chest, as he approached, Ron could hear her cries which were muffled only very slightly by Fred's body beneath her face. Crouching next to his mother was his father, comforting her in the only, small way that was possible. Ron then looked over slightly at George who seemed surprisingly quiet. He was kneeling by the head of his twin, his expression sad and pained but there were neither tears nor cries coming from him. Ron then looked at his other brothers and sister-in-law and joined them in their line. He noticed that Hermione and Ginny were hugging and then felt Percy's arm fall heavily on his shoulder. Bill, Fleur and Percy each had tear stained faces and Fleur was still sobbing onto Bill's shoulder. The Weasley men appeared to be putting a brave face on matters and other than the current stream of tears running down Arthur's face none of the other men were actively crying.

Ron realised that he had not actually shed a tear yet for his fallen brother. Immediately after his death, Ron had been intent on revenge but Hermione and Harry had calmed him. Since then he had been too concerned with Voldemort and Snape to fully acknowledge what had happened. His brother was dead.

"Where's Harry?" Ginny whispered and Ron almost jumped at the sound of her voice so close to him.

He looked around from where he and Hermione had entered the hall, but Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"He was there a moment ago," Hermione answered for him and Arthur looked up.

"Molly," he said very simply as he halted in stroking his wife's hair. He was looking Ron in the eye and pride shone through the pain in them.

Molly looked up without a word, keeping her hands on her son as if it would keep him tethered to her. Arthur motioned his head toward Ron and Hermione and Molly's gaze followed. She stood up and in one fluid motion dragged Ron into an all encompassing hug. Ron felt no embarrassment at this action in fact he squeezed his mother back just as hard, burying his face into her neck briefly. He felt a hand on his arm which was wrapped around his mother and it was his father's hand. Ron met his father's eyes again and saw the smallest of smiles on his father's face. It was a small smile of hope and happiness that another son had been returned to him.

Ron was vaguely aware of someone crying behind him and Molly loosened her grip on him slightly, saying: "Hermione, love, come here." And Ron was joined in a hug with his mum and Hermione, all three of them shedding tears. His father's hand left his arm and then he heard some gentle comforting noises coming from his father and, presumably, directed at his only sister.

Molly pulled away from him and Hermione, putting one hand to each of their faces and drinking in their appearances. The relief on her face was immense. "I'm so glad," she mumbled as her voice was unable to continue with any strength.

"Mum," Ron started, "I'm sorry." He bent his head unable to look at her any more.

"Whatever for?" she questioned.

"I was there. We all were. I should have done something." He saw Hermione shake her head and take hold of his hand as Molly forced his head up so she could stare him in the eyes. He was reminded of all the times that he had been caught in trouble and how she would make him look her in the eye. None of the Weasley children were able to lie to Molly Weasley when looking her straight in the eye. Not even Fred and George.

"Percy's told us what happened," Molly argued. "He told me that even in that moment afterwards, you were so brave and you and Harry made sure that he and Hermione were both okay. And there was nothing that you could do for Fred. You all protected him and each other and made sure that nothing else could happen to him. I don't want anyone else to die." She paused and looked around at everyone realising that they were not all present. "Where's Harry?"

Ron shrugged. "He was here with us. He won't do anything stupid, mum." He could see by the look in her eyes that she thought it was possible, that Harry Potter would run off on his own to deal with Voldemort. Maybe at the beginning of the year he might have done, but the three of them were all so very different now. Harry accepted and requested the help of others when it was necessary whilst Ron knew that he belonged with Harry and Hermione, at their side and not behind them as he had long feared. Ron could also sense within himself the new bravery he had found and was able to command without looking to Harry. He could remember that in the moment after Fred had died and curses were thrown at them, Ron had not hesitated in pulling Hermione to the floor, protecting her. He was no longer a child who paused upon seeing one of Aragog's descendants, now he instantly threw a spell at his phobia. "He and Hermione were the ones that kept me from running off in revenge."

His mother pulled him into another crushing hug, dragging Hermione into it too. It was Molly's thank you for Ron being alive and Hermione having a part in it. They all remained still for the longest moment since the battle had begun, Ginny's, Fleur's and Molly's sobs falling in volume but never ceasing. Until there was a very quiet little voice to which everyone turned.

From his position kneeling on the floor, George's still dry face was staring at all of them and his eyes glistened as he repeated his statement just as quietly.

"He's dead."

Then George's tears started to fall and they would not stop. Ron allowed his mother to pull away from him as she went to him on the floor, but then she paused whilst everyone watched. Molly was beaten by Percy who had been standing in between Fleur and Ginny. Percy fell to his knees next to George and pulled his sobbing brother into his arms. The twins and Percy had never fully seen eye to eye on anything, but that could never change how they all shared, not only the same flame red hair, but the same blood. George allowed himself to be comforted by his elder brother, both of them rocking backwards and forwards in pain and sadness. Ron glanced at his mother and saw the smallest flicker of pride in her eyes as he had in his father's moments earlier. He had the odd thought that for him it was easier. He had lost a brother, but he was not George who had lost his twin, had lost half of his soul. He was not his mother who stood facing Percy and George with mixed emotions. On the one hand she was mourning the loss of a son and on the other she was welcoming one back into the family, back where he belonged.

Molly ran to her two sons and fell to her knees, too, pulling them both towards her and squeezing them, Ron knew, just as tightly as she had held him. One of the things that Ron was happy to have learnt in the war and past year was that he was not the least loved by anyone, let alone his mother. Ron turned slightly on the spot to look at all of his family. He still had Hermione's hand in his and he was not about to let it go for anything. He wanted to look at all of his family though, or the majority of it as only Charlie was missing. He could not remember the last time they had all been together, but then it would never happen again. Not now. Not ever again.

Aside from fleeting glimpses of Arthur and Percy during their break in at the Ministry and staying with Bill and Fleur during his lowest point and then very recently, it had been almost a year since Ron had been with his family. In fact, for Ginny and Molly there had not even been any slight glimpses. For all the annoyance his siblings gave him, Ron had missed every single person, but he would never again be annoyed by the twins together. The pain of that thought shot through Ron and he moved to take Hermione into his arms, but she released his hand and moved a step away. He was unsure of whether to follow her or not and instead watched her from behind. He watched her bring her hands up to her face and his brow furrowed.

"Oh, no!" she almost screamed.

He took the one step to be at her side and followed her eyes to the floor where he saw what she had seen. It was Lupin and Tonks, lying side by side as peaceful as Fred appeared.

"They have a son!" she shouted. "No, Teddy!" Despite the fact that neither of them had ever met the youngest Lupin, their pain was not diminished. Ron grabbed her with both arms as she tried to fall to the floor and he slowly lowered them both to their knees as she sobbed into his chest, clinging to his arm as if her own life depended on it. He no longer had any idea what his family were doing, aware only of the crying person in his arms and how there was nothing that he could do to stop the tears. Instead of even trying, he gave in. His mind filled with moments involving Fred, Lupin and Tonks and moments that Teddy would never have. Thoughts of how Fred and George had always teased him, how they had always annoyed him like older siblings do and how they had tried to make him agree to an unbreakable vow when he was only five. He remembered so many Christmas mornings when they had all laughed over the jumpers their mum made every year. Who would make Teddy jumpers every year? And who would help Teddy break a friend out of a Muggle House in a borrowed car? Many of the twins' pranks filled his thoughts followed by thoughts that Teddy would never have any siblings and that, like Harry, would never know his parents. As the thoughts flooded through his brain, Ron let his own tears flow merging somewhere along the way with Hermione's.

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The End.


End file.
